The Priority
by ILoveVampireDiaries
Summary: During the events of Season 2 Episode 6 - 'Plan B': Stefan's trapped in the well full of vervain to get the moonstone. My take on his rescue - what if Damon goes to his brother's aid with Caroline instead of Bonnie? A two-shot with lots of brotherly love!
1. Chapter 1

_So I'm back on Season 2 again - A rare Damon/Stefan TWO - shot ;) **RECAP**: Stefan was trapped in the well full of vervain to get the moonstone while Damon tortured and killed Mason. What if Damon came to the rescue of his brother with Caroline, instead of Bonnie?  
_

_Enjoy!_

**Chapter One (Damon's POV):**

Damon picked up his phone on its first ring when he saw it was Elena, pausing in wrapping up Mason Lockwood's dead body.

"Hello Elena. You know, just because you and Stefan have 'broken up', it doesn't mean you can switch your attention to me. After all, we're not _friends_ are we?"

"Damon, I haven't got time for this!" Her frantic tone had him alert right away.

"Is something wrong?"

"It's Stefan! He jumped in the well to retrieve the moonstone but it's full of vervain!"

Damon growled and glance at the semi-wrapped corpse. "That son of a...Don't do anything stupid, I'll be right there."

Hanging up, he made sure to give the corpse a frustrated kick before he left.

* * *

A few minutes later, Damon turned up at the well, instantly restraining Elena from almost falling in, she was leaning so far forward.

"Elena, I'm here!" He peered into the well and could make out the back of Stefan's head in the water. "Stefan!"

No response.

Turning to Elena, he asked "How is he?"

Elena was in tears. "He hasn't said a word for the past 10 minutes, but before that, he was screaming and I swear I could hear a sizzling sound! Why did you take so long?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Because I went for a picnic. NO, I picked up an entourage..."

As if on cue, Caroline appeared with "Oh my god, oh my god. How is Stefan?"

Again Damon rolled his eyes. "I've already asked that Blondie."

Spying the pile of chains beside the well, he proceeded to tie them around himself.

Elena eyed him cautiously "What are you doing?"

"Well, I'm going to be lowered down into the well to find the moonstone, pick up Stefan and get out."

Elena looked like she wanted to interrupt.

"Blondie here is going to do the lowering and pulling, seeing as you're no use. Are you really going to argue?"

"I just think getting Stefan out first is our priority, not the stupid moonstone! How are you going to look for it anyway, there's vervain in the water."

Damon slowly clapped his hands. "Well observed Elena, I'm proud of you."

Throwing the chain across the barrier, Caroline caught it on the other side. "You ready, Blondie?"

She nodded nervously and Damon swung into the gap. He met Elena's eyes before he was lowered from sight.

"Finding out what Katherine is up to is our priority. Stefan will understand."

He knew he sounded cruel, but it was true - He kept telling himself.

Using his legs to abseil down, Damon reached the water's edge and tugged on the chain to indicate to Caroline to stop.

Reaching out, he tapped Stefan's head, which was face down in the water. "Stefan...Hey Stefan get up!"

For the first time, he felt a twinge of unease. Being in a vervain filled trap for long enough could incapacitate a normal vampire.

But one who fed on wildlife... Maybe it could actually kill them?

In one second, Damon grabbed Stefan's hair and pulled.

If this didn't get a reaction, Damon should be very worried.

As Stefan's form rose from the water into Damon's lap, it remained lifeless.

Damon became very worried.

He slapped Stefan's face a few times and Stefan's eyes flickered before finally opening.

"Da - Damon?"

"Yes, dear brother, it's me."

Tugging on the chain again, he called "Pull us up!"

Caroline proceeded to do just that until Stefan cried out - with surprising strength "Wait!"

Their ascent came to a stop.

Damon shook Stefan gently. "What are you doing?"

"The...moonstone." Stefan's eyes flickered shut again, seemingly against his will.

Damon shook his head and tugged on the chain again.

Doing his best to keep his hands clear of the vervain soaked into his brother's clothes, Damon cradled Stefan - somewhat awkwardly - and put his mouth close to his ear.

"It's okay little brother, you're safe now."

* * *

Please review - do I have Damon in character? :)

Next (and final) POV is going to be Damon's again :)


	2. Chapter 2

_I realise it's a bit unrealistic that Damon hasn't been in contact with the vervain at all, so can you picture him with a couple of light burns on his arms and hands please? :)  
I also decided to write from Damon AND Stefan's POV :)  
Thank you all for your reviews!_

_**Jess: **At first I didn't know it was you, because it said 'Guest' :P Thank you for your review! You've reviewed every Vampire Diaries story I've written so far, thank you! :D I know, I know read above about the vervain ^ :) I think I should stop worrying about Damon from now on! :)_

**_Guest: _**_Thank you for your review :)_

**Chapter Two Part 1 (Stefan's POV):**

Stefan was in pain - so much pain.

It hadn't hurt this much even when Sheriff Forbes and her cronies had shot him with wooden bullets and injected vervain inside his system.

He remained in a dazed state as Caroline and Elena's arms cradled him, shouting that it would be all okay.

But he wouldn't let go of Damon. He spied some burns on Damon's hands from where he'd lifted him up, but Damon was - for once - acting like a martyr, not showing any signs of hurt.

Stefan began to recollect himself slowly and blinked his eyes, gasping with the shock.

Damon came into his eyesight and leant over him. "Hmm...he's going to need blood."

Stefan saw Elena look around for a sharp rock to prick her hand with, but Damon lightly pushed her away.

"Damon what are you - "

"Shh Elena, he's going to need stronger blood than a human's."

As Stefan was registering the meaning of this, Caroline stepped forward. "I'll do it."

Damon rolled his eyes without replyng, instead showing his fangs and biting his wrist.

Stefan had difficulty drawing his eyes away from the blood and, when Damon propped his head up for him, he began to attempt to scramble away, violently shaking his head.

"No no, I can't have your blood...no!"

"Come on Stefan don't be a drama queen, please?"

"I can't...NO Damon..."

Damon's tone became distinctly steelier. "You don't have a choice."

Then he all but shoved his wrist into Stefan's mouth.

Struggling at first, Stefan soon relented when he heard Damon say "There's nothing to worry about. I _will _help you through this."

Whether Damon meant Stefan's recuperation from the vervain, or his overpowering thirst for blood, Stefan could only guess.

* * *

**Part 2 (Damon's POV):**

Those words replayed themselves in Damon's head as he waited for Stefan to take a shower and regain his dignity and sanity.

If he had just kept Mason alive a little longer...then he could have taken the satisfaction of torturing him all over again.

What a dick hiding the moonstone in a place filled with vervain...had he really loved Katherine as much as he had let on?

Although, if Katherine was telling the truth about taking vervain every day for 145 years, she'd be able to endure the pain.

But now he'd have to get Alaric to go down sometime and fetch the bloody moonstone, as he was the only human Damon could trust, after Elena.

He straightened up when he heard Stefan coming down the stairs and into view. Elena was with him.

"Feeling better?" Damon nonchalantly asked.

"Uh yeah, much better thanks."

Damon waved his hand.

"No, I mean it." Stefan went and sat on the chair opposite him, with Elena standing behind.

"I know how much you wanted the moonstone and I'm sorry I got in the way of your search for it..."

"Oh please, Stefan you were the priority."

Damon saw Elena raise her eyebrows at this out of the corner of his eyes.

Glancing up, he indicated with his head that she should leave - now.

Smiling slightly, she kissed Stefan's head and walked out the room.

Damon turned back to Stefan.

"Anyway, as I was saying, it doesn't matter..."

Stefan lightly scoffed at this and Damon sat forward on his seat, and held his gaze.

"_Stefan, _you will _always _be the priority."

Swallowing, Damon realised that it was the truth.

He hadn't given a second's thought to the moonstone when he'd seen Stefan submerged in the vervain.

Stefan's expression changed from one of scorn to disbelief.

"But - the moonstone - "

"You could have died searching for that stupid stone, I won't let you - I won't let _anyone _- risk their lives for it again."

There was a moment of silence while Stefan reached into his pocket and Damon got up to escape.

No matter what he told his brother, he really did need Alaric to help him find it. For all their sakes.

"Damon, wait."

Damon was so close to the door...

"Damon please. It's about the moonstone."

Damon rolled his eyes as he turned around "How many times do I have to tell you, I couldn't care less about the - "

He shut up when he saw what was in his brother's hands.

"I'd already found it before you pulled me out."

For once Damon was speechless, as his eyes travelled to Stefan's face - his cheeky half grin to be exact.

Walking forward, he extended his hand, but was gobsmacked when Stefan appeared behind him.

"I thought you couldn't care less about this...?"

"Hey Stefan, give it here!"

Stefan shook his head, laughing and left the room.

Damon frustratingly followed.

For once, he had been outwitted by his little brother.

* * *

THE END. Please review :D

I'm quite pleased with this story, I think your reviews have contributed a lot to it :)


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